October GBBD: After the Freeze

What a difference a week can make! In my last post I was in a state of denial that summer would soon end, but within twenty-four hours, I had a rude awakening.

I awoke Monday morning to find not only the ground covered in frost, but much of the garden frozen in place.  The zinnias and cosmos blooming away in that last post had turned to a black mush.  A few green peppers that I had forgotten to pick in the vegetable garden soon became pepper soup.

Between the freeze and the rainy, blustery weekend that made taking pictures nearly impossible,  there's not much new to show for this October Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.  A few new Dianthus blooms have appeared in the pot where they have resided--along with the same potting soil!--undisturbed for several years.  It's taken me awhile, but I've finally learned that deadheading them regularly will keep them reblooming all summer.

There are a few annuals that survived the freeze, such as the geraniums, some petunias, and even the verbena, but the showier containers have new annuals in them.

Ruffled kale is one of my favorites for fall containers.  Depending on how low the temperatures get once winter arrives, this plant can last a long time.

Pansies, of course, are always a staple in my fall containers.  My earlier state of denial about the approaching cold weather was not a good thing in this case, because by the time I was in the mood to buy pansies, there wasn't much of a selection left.  I did find something new this year, though--a 'Cool Wave' pansy that is supposed to cascade down the sides of a pot, much like a 'Wave' petunia.  We'll see if it lives up to its hype.

And every fall, I must have mums.  Some gardeners may dismiss these ubiquitous fall plants, but I can't seem to resist them, even though they usually end up on the compost pile at the end of the season.  This particular mum, though, is a special one--not only did it overwinter outside, which doesn't happen often for me, but it survived the winter confined in a pot! 

The freeze wasn't enough to affect many of the perennials.  Knockout roses, 'Becky' daisies, and even some Rudbeckia have been invigorated by the cooler weather.  'October Skies' asters continue to bloom their hearts out.  The only truly new bloom this month was a mystery plant that I had suspected was a weed.  Sure enough, it is some type of goldenrod that found its way into the lily bed.  It looks rather pretty here where little else is blooming, but it will definitely be pulled before it has a chance to set seeds.  Sorry, goldenrod, but you belong in the butterfly garden, not here.

 

October is all about fall color, and that can certainly be seen in the shade garden, where gold is the new fashionable color.

"Dying gracefully" seems an apt way to describe this area as it puts out one last burst of color before going into winter hibernation.

There is much yet to be done in the garden, and there is still time to enjoy its beauty.  But the days are definitely getting shorter, and there is no denying now that the end of gardening season is drawing near.


What is blooming in your garden today?  Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is hosted the 15th of each month by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.